Denizli Province
Encyclopedia
Denizli Province is a province
of Turkey
in Western Anatolia
, on high ground above the Aegean
coast. Neighbouring provinces are Uşak
to the north, Burdur
, Isparta
, Afyon to the east, Aydın
, Manisa
to the west and Muğla
to the south. It is located between the coordinates 28° 30’ and 29° 30’ E and 37° 12’ and 38° 12’ N. It covers an area of 11,868 km², and the population is 931,823. The population was 750,882 in 1990. The provincial capital is the city of Denizli
.
(capital district in bold):
, which means bitter lake and indeed industrial salts (sodium sulphate) are extracted from this lake which is highly alkaline. There is a thermal spring to the west of Sarayköy
, at the source of the Great Menderes River, which contains bicarbonates and sulfates. There is another hot spring in Kizildere which reaches 200˚C.
A geothermal steam source was first found in the region in 1965 during drilling work. Today there is a power plant producing electricity from the geothermal steam. Only 11% of the geothermal energy source is used to produce electricity and 89% of it, which flows into the Great Menderes, is 150˚C at source (it is contains energy equal to 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes of fuel oil).
region has a mild climate. However, it becomes harsher at altitude . Temperatures can rise to 40 °C during summer and fall to -10 °C in winter. There are about 80 days with precipitation, mainly during winter.
themselves. The Hittites were followed by Phrygians, Lydians
and Persians, and then cities founded by the ancient Greek
s and Alexander the Great. The first real settlement was the city of Laodicea on the Lycus
which was established by King Antiochus II for his wife Laodice. Laodicea is located 6 km north of the city of Denizli.
The city of Hierapolis
was established around 190 BC by the Pergamene
Kingdom, one of the Hellenistic states of Anatolia. The calcified terraces and pools of Pamukkale
(Cotton Castle) now stand below the ruins of Hierapolis. The two cities, Laodicea and Hierapolis later came under Roman rule, and with the division of the Empire in 395 were left within the boundaries of the East Roman Empire.
, John the Evangelist
hears a loud voice which sounded like a trumpet when he was on the island of Patmos
. The voice says: "Write down what you see and send the book to the Churches in these seven cities: Ephesus
, Smyrna
, Pergamum, Thyatira
, Sardis
, Philadelphia and Laodicea". The Church of Laodicea
was a sacred place even in pre-Christian times, and is still visited by Christian
s today, although it lost its importance to a great extent during Byzantine rule.
, raided the area. The second and third Crusades fought here against Kazıkbeli, who managed to flee with a small force to Antalya
. Later, after the Turks had established control of the ancient cities, they moved south to the site of the present city of Denizli, where drinking water was brought through stone pipes. The name Laodicea slowly changed into “Ladik” then since the 17th century other names were given “Tonguzlu”, ”Tonuzlu”, ”Tenguzlug”, ”Donuzlu” and finally “Denizli”.
After World War I, when the Greek army arrived in İzmir
on May 15, 1919, one of first centres of Turkish resistance formed at an open air meeting in Denizli. A Turkish militia formed lines on the Menderes organized by Yörük Ali and Demirci Efe, involving large numbers of volunteers from the local peasantry. Stiffened by the Turkish regular army, Greek forces were repelled, and Denizli remained in Turkish hands throughout the Greco-Turkish War
.
and other districts for more details....
near Denizli...
and near the other districts in the province....
Denizli is renowned in Turkey for having a famous breed of cock, renowned for its appearance and colour, along with its prolonged and melodious crows. Great effort is taken by the state and local farmers to preserve the breed.
In appearance the Denizli cock has black eyes, dark grey legs, a long neck, and a red crown. It weighs 3-3.5kg, and has a distinctive crow.
Provinces of Turkey
Turkey is divided into 81 provinces, called il in Turkish .A province is administered by an appointed governor , and was formerly termed a "governorate" ....
of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in Western Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, on high ground above the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
coast. Neighbouring provinces are Uşak
Usak Province
Uşak is a province in western Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Manisa to the west, Denizli to the south, Afyon to the east, and Kütahya to the north. The provincial capital is Uşak, and its traffic code is 64. The province covers an area of 5,341 km² and has a population of 335,860...
to the north, Burdur
Burdur Province
Burdur Province is a province of Turkey, located in the southwest and bordering Muğla and Antalya to the South, Denizli to the West, Afyon to the North, and Isparta to the East...
, Isparta
Isparta Province
Isparta Province is a province in southwestern Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Afyon to the northwest, Burdur to the southwest, Antalya to the south, and Konya to the east. It has an area of 8,993 km² and a population of 448,298 up from 434,771...
, Afyon to the east, Aydın
Aydin Province
Aydın Province is a province of southwestern Turkey, located in the Aegean Region. The provincial capital is the city of Aydın which has a population of approx. 150,000 . Other towns in the province include the summer seaside resorts of Didim and Kuşadası.-History:Aydın was founded by the ancient...
, Manisa
Manisa Province
Manisa Province is a province in western Turkey. Its neighboring provinces are İzmir to the west, Aydın to the south, Denizli to the south east, Uşak to the east, Kütahya to the north east, and Balıkesir to the north...
to the west and Muğla
Mugla Province
Muğla Province is a province of Turkey, at the country's south-western corner, on the Aegean Sea. Its seat is Muğla, about inland, while some of Turkey's largest holiday resorts, such as Bodrum, Ölüdeniz, Marmaris and Fethiye, are on the coast in Muğla....
to the south. It is located between the coordinates 28° 30’ and 29° 30’ E and 37° 12’ and 38° 12’ N. It covers an area of 11,868 km², and the population is 931,823. The population was 750,882 in 1990. The provincial capital is the city of Denizli
Denizli
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.The city...
.
Districts
Denizli province is divided into 19 districtsDistricts of Turkey
The 81 provinces of Turkey are divided into 957 districts . In the early Turkish Republic and in the Ottoman Empire, the corresponding unit was the kaza....
(capital district in bold):
|
|
Geography
Approximately 28-30% of the land is plain, 25% is high plateau and tableland, and 47% is mountainous. At 2571m Mount Honaz is the highest in the province, and indeed in Western Anatolia. Babadag in the Mentes range has a height of 2308 meters. The biggest lake in Denizli is AcıgölAcigöl
Acıgöl, formerly Dobada, is a town and district of Nevşehir Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2010 census, population of the district is 15,040 of which 5,825 live in the town of Acıgöl, and the remainder in surrounding villages. The district covers an area of , and...
, which means bitter lake and indeed industrial salts (sodium sulphate) are extracted from this lake which is highly alkaline. There is a thermal spring to the west of Sarayköy
Sarayköy
Sarayköy is a town and district of Denizli Province in Turkey, 20 km west of the city of Denizli, on a plain between mountains and watered by Büyük Menderes River...
, at the source of the Great Menderes River, which contains bicarbonates and sulfates. There is another hot spring in Kizildere which reaches 200˚C.
A geothermal steam source was first found in the region in 1965 during drilling work. Today there is a power plant producing electricity from the geothermal steam. Only 11% of the geothermal energy source is used to produce electricity and 89% of it, which flows into the Great Menderes, is 150˚C at source (it is contains energy equal to 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes of fuel oil).
Climate
In general the AegeanAegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
region has a mild climate. However, it becomes harsher at altitude . Temperatures can rise to 40 °C during summer and fall to -10 °C in winter. There are about 80 days with precipitation, mainly during winter.
Antiquity
There are traces of prehistoric cultures throughout the province, including evidence of pre-Hittite cultures and the HittitesHittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
themselves. The Hittites were followed by Phrygians, Lydians
Lydians
The Lydians were the inhabitants of Lydia, a region in western Anatolia, who spoke the distinctive Lydian language, an Indo-European language of the Anatolian group....
and Persians, and then cities founded by the ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
s and Alexander the Great. The first real settlement was the city of Laodicea on the Lycus
Laodicea on the Lycus
Laodicea on the Lycus was the ancient metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana , built on the river Lycus , in Anatolia near the modern village of Eskihisar , Denizli Province,...
which was established by King Antiochus II for his wife Laodice. Laodicea is located 6 km north of the city of Denizli.
The city of Hierapolis
Hierapolis
Hierapolis was the ancient Greco-Roman city which sat on top of hot springs located in south western Turkey near Denizli....
was established around 190 BC by the Pergamene
Pergamon
Pergamon , or Pergamum, was an ancient Greek city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, today located from the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC...
Kingdom, one of the Hellenistic states of Anatolia. The calcified terraces and pools of Pamukkale
Pamukkale
Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water...
(Cotton Castle) now stand below the ruins of Hierapolis. The two cities, Laodicea and Hierapolis later came under Roman rule, and with the division of the Empire in 395 were left within the boundaries of the East Roman Empire.
The Christian era
The province has strong biblical connections: in the Book of RevelationBook of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
, John the Evangelist
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
hears a loud voice which sounded like a trumpet when he was on the island of Patmos
Patmos
Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,984 and an area of . The highest point is Profitis Ilias, 269 meters above sea level. The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi ,...
. The voice says: "Write down what you see and send the book to the Churches in these seven cities: Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
, Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
, Pergamum, Thyatira
Thyatira
Thyateira is the name of the modern Turkish city of Akhisar . The name comes from Koine Greek "Θυάτειρα" . The Turkish equivalent of Thyateira is Tepe Mezarligi. It lies in the far west of Turkey, south of Istanbul and almost due east of Athens...
, Sardis
Sardis
Sardis or Sardes was an ancient city at the location of modern Sart in Turkey's Manisa Province...
, Philadelphia and Laodicea". The Church of Laodicea
Laodicean Church
The Laodicean Church was a Christian community established in the ancient city of Laodicea . The church was established in the earliest period of Christianity, and is probably best known for being one of the seven churches addressed by name in the Book of Revelation The Laodicean Church was a...
was a sacred place even in pre-Christian times, and is still visited by Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s today, although it lost its importance to a great extent during Byzantine rule.
The Turkish era
Turks were first seen in Denizli in 1070 when Afşın Bey, under the control of the Seljuk Sultan Alp ArslanAlp Arslan
Alp Arslan was the third sultan of the Seljuq dynasty and great-grandson of Seljuk, the eponymous founder of the dynasty...
, raided the area. The second and third Crusades fought here against Kazıkbeli, who managed to flee with a small force to Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
. Later, after the Turks had established control of the ancient cities, they moved south to the site of the present city of Denizli, where drinking water was brought through stone pipes. The name Laodicea slowly changed into “Ladik” then since the 17th century other names were given “Tonguzlu”, ”Tonuzlu”, ”Tenguzlug”, ”Donuzlu” and finally “Denizli”.
After World War I, when the Greek army arrived in İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
on May 15, 1919, one of first centres of Turkish resistance formed at an open air meeting in Denizli. A Turkish militia formed lines on the Menderes organized by Yörük Ali and Demirci Efe, involving large numbers of volunteers from the local peasantry. Stiffened by the Turkish regular army, Greek forces were repelled, and Denizli remained in Turkish hands throughout the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
.
Places of interest
see the article on DenizliDenizli
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.The city...
and other districts for more details....
near Denizli...
- Laodicea ad Lycum - Ruins of the ancient city 6 km north of Denizli near the village of EskihisarEskihisar, DenizliEskihisar is a village in Denizli Province, Turkey. The population of the village was 2,063 in the year 2000. The village is 5 kilometers from the city of Denizli. Near the village are the ruins of the ancient city of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. The name eski hisar means "old...
. - HierapolisHierapolisHierapolis was the ancient Greco-Roman city which sat on top of hot springs located in south western Turkey near Denizli....
and PamukkalePamukkalePamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water...
-20 km north of Denizli. The ruins of the ancient city and the hillside covered in minerals from the thermal waters. - The SeljukGreat Seljuq EmpireThe Great Seljuq Empire was a medieval Persianate, Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim empire, originating from the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks. The Seljuq Empire controlled a vast area stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf...
caravanserai Akhan, 6 km from Denizli on the Ankara highway.
and near the other districts in the province....
- Tripolis (Phrygia)Tripolis (Phrygia)Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of Phrygia Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of Phrygia Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of...
near the village of YenicekentYenicekentYenicekent is a depending township in Buldan district, Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The region is notable for its high plains covered with dense and beautiful forests. Yenicekent is also the site of ancient Tripolis of Phrygia.-History:...
in BuldanBuldanBuldan is a town and a district of Denizli Province in the inner Aegean Region of Turkey. Buldan district area neighbors to the east and the south three other districts of the same province, namely Güney, Akköy and Sarayköy, and to the west by the areas of three districts of Aydın Province,...
- ruins of a city dating back to the Hellenistic period. - a few remains of the ancient city of ColossaeColossaeColossae or Colosse , was an ancient city of Phrygia, on the Lycus, which is a tributary of the Maeander River. It was situated about 12 miles South East of Laodicea, and near the great road from Ephesus to the Euphrates...
, in HonazHonazHonaz is a town and a district of Denizli Province in the Aegean Region. It covers an area of...
. - Beycehöyük in ÇivrilÇivrilÇivril is a town and district of Denizli Province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. Çivril district area neighbors those of two districts of Uşak Province to its north, namely Sivaslı and Karahallı, and four districts of Afyonkarahisar Province from the north-east to the south which are,...
, where several antiquities of the Copper Age dating back to 3000 BC were found. - The Hanabat Caravanserai in ÇardakÇardakÇardak is a town and a district of Denizli Province of Turkey. It is situated on the road from Denizli to Ankara near the banks of the Lake Acıgöl.Denizli's airport is in Çardak....
is a typical Seljuk caravaserai. - The Ahmetli Bridge over the Great Menderes river, 15 km from SarayköySarayköySarayköy is a town and district of Denizli Province in Turkey, 20 km west of the city of Denizli, on a plain between mountains and watered by Büyük Menderes River...
dates back to the Roman era.
The Denizli rooster
In appearance the Denizli cock has black eyes, dark grey legs, a long neck, and a red crown. It weighs 3-3.5kg, and has a distinctive crow.